Tongue-support



G. W. FLETCHER. TONGUE SUPPORT.

Patented Mar. 2, 1897.

PATENT EEicE,

GEORGE W. FLETCHER, OE MENDON, ILLINOIS.

TONGUE-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,847, dated. March 2, 1897. Application filed October 16, 1896. Serial No. 609,128. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. FLETCHER, of Mendon, in the county of Adams, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tongue-Supports; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in tongue-supports for wagons, which Will hold the tongue in horizontal position and relieve the necks of the horses of the weight of the tongue, and which will also permit the tongue to be lowered to rest on the ground when not in use.

The invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be now described in the following specification and the particular features of novelty pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a top plan view of the front running-gear of a wagon, showing the application of my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View. Fig. 3 is a section on the line as .90, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isa detail perspective view of the supportingspring.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

In the drawings, A represents the front axle of a wagon, B the tongue, O the hounds, and D the bolt by which the tongue is pivotally connected to the hounds, all these parts being of the usual construction and needing no further description.

Carried by the front axle A is the supportingspring E, which consists of a piece of wire of suitable size formed into two side coils c e and having an upwardly-extending loop F at the front. The ends of the wire forming the spring are carried back from the two side coils passing under the axle, where they are held together by a clip G, through which the king-bolt H passes. From this point the wire is carried up behind'the axle, and around the king-bolt on top of the axle, the ends of the wire being then united in any desired or preferred manner.

Secured to the rear end of the tongue A,

by means of a pivot-bolt I, is a metal plate or strap J, formed with a hooked end J, which is adapted to take under the looped portion F of the holding or sustaining spring to hold or lock the tongue in horizontal position.

WVhen desired, the plate can be disengaged from the spring and turned to either side, thus permitting the tongue to be lowered to rest on the ground when not in use, the end of the tongue passing between the two side coils.

The spring being connected to the kingbolt above and below the axle, it results that the strain in supporting the tongue will be communicated through the spring to the bolt above and below the axle, thus equalizing the strain and preventing the axle from being canted or twisted.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a tongue-support, the combination with the sustaining-springs carried by the axle, the tongue, the plate cooperating with the spring to sustain the tongue, pivotally connected to the tongue, whereby the plate may be turned to permit the tongue to be dis engaged from the spring, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a wagon-tongue support, the combination with the axle and king-bolt, of the sustaining-spring connected with the kingboltabove and belowthe axle, and the tongue supported by said spring substantially as described.

3. In a wagon-tongue support, the combination with the axle and king-bolt, the sustaining-spring consisting of a metal wire formed with the side coils and upwardly-extending loop portion, and connected with the bolt above and below the axle, the tongue and the plate pivotally secured thereto, provided with a hooked end adapted to cooperate with the loop portion of the spring to sustain the tongue; substantially as described.

GEORGE WV. FLETCHER.

WVitnesses:

ALBERT W. WELLs, L. E. EMMONS, Jr. 

